The present invention relates to self-service document depositing terminals, and is particularly directed to a document deskewing module with a moving track bottom for use in a self-service bunch document depositing terminal, such as a bunch document depositing automated teller machine (ATM), and methods of operating such a deskewing module.
In a typical bunch document depositing ATM, an ATM customer is allowed to deposit a bunch of documents of the same type such as currency notes or checks (without having to place any of the documents in a deposit envelope) in a publicly accessible, unattended environment. To deposit a bunch of documents, the ATM customer inserts a user identification card through a user card slot at the ATM, enters the amount of the bunch of documents being deposited, and inserts the bunch of documents to be deposited through a slot of a bunch document acceptor. A document transport mechanism receives the inserted bunch of documents and then separates and transports the documents one-by-one in a forward direction along a document transport path to a number of locations within the ATM to process the documents.
If a particular document is not accepted for deposit, the document transport mechanism transports the entire bunch of documents in a manner to return the bunch of documents to the ATM customer. If the entire bunch of documents is accepted for deposit, the amount of the bunch of documents is deposited into the ATM customer's account and the documents are transported one-by one to a number of storage bins within the ATM. If a bunch of documents is a bunch of checks, an endorser printer prints an endorsement onto each check as the check is being transported to and stored in a check storage bin. If a bunch of documents is a bunch of currency notes, then each currency note is transported to and stored in a currency storage bin. Documents in the different storage bins within the ATM are periodically picked up and physically transported via courier to a back office facility of a financial institution for further processing.
After the documents are separated from the bunch, they need to be deskewed before continuing down the document transport path. It is desirable to deskew the skewed document before it is processed at the different locations within the ATM to improve image-based recognition rates, to improve magnetic read rates, to print the proper print zones, and to reduce document jam rates.
Document deskewing modules for use in ATMs are known. However, these known document deskewing modules are designed to deskew only one type of document (e.g., either a currency note or a check, but not both). When a document deskewing module is designed to deskew only one type of document, the module is usually effective in deskewing a document of only that particular type. This is because different types of documents are of different sizes, different thicknesses, different paper grades, or the like, for examples.
Moreover, known document deskewing modules may have difficulty deskewing certain currency notes because of condition of these currency notes. For example, a “limp” currency note is usually difficult to transport along the document transport path as well as to deskew while being transported along the document transport path. This is because a leading front corner of the limp note may curl excessively when the corner makes contact with a track bottom of the document transport path as the currency note is being deskewed. When the corner of the note curls excessively, the corner may bunch up and cause a document jam condition. It would be desirable to provide a document deskewing module which is effective to deskew a relatively non-stiff document, such as a limp currency note, without having the document curl and bunch up as the document is being deskewed.